Near-Misses on the Yakima River
A local National Guard unit's target practice nearly proves fatal for a group of cattle herders.
Last Friday, Company K of the National Guards marched out to the new rifle range on the banks of the Yakima, and the various members ranged away at a small target 300 feet distant with pretty fair results, considering that the day was windy, the target small, and it being their first practice. Joseph Baxter and brother were on the opposite side of the river, where the bullets fell thickest, with a band of cattle, but they are old soldiers and knew something about getting under cover, so they escaped unscathed.
“Joseph Baxter and brother were on the opposite side of the river, where the bullets fell thickest... but they are old soldiers and knew something about getting under cover, so they escaped unscathed.”
While target practice in public areas is heavily regulated today, the casual danger described here highlights how the physical landscape of the Yakima Valley was utilized for militia training in the late 19th century. The 'National Guard' units of this era often served as much as social clubs as they did defensive forces, though the proximity of civilians to live fire remains a stark reminder of early frontier civic safety.
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